Roadtrip

A shiver ran through me.

My ass was numb on the cold ground.

The wind ignored my two jackets.

A flame flared. 

Sparks rained down on the sand.

Firelight glinted off a handful of smiles.

Wind gusts whipped small lake swells into mini whitecaps that dreamed of being crashing ocean surf.

As if roused with the wind, a burst of laugher rang out under the night sky.

Birch leaves twirled and rustled, showing silvery undersides to the dancing flames.

I snuggled into my puffy and smiled.

I reached over the coals.

My raw finger tips warmed sharply.

Tips worn pink from crimps, from slopers, from jugs.

Lines of dirt I couldn't scrub out traced shapes on my cupped, chapped hands. 

A sudden rush of light light jumped from the flames.

Sticks waved in the air, trying to extinguish a flaming marshmallow.

Pressing the bottle to my lips, I absorbed the smooth taste.

Soothing and comforting. 

Warming me from the inside out.

“Which crag tomorrow?”

“That’s a decision for the morning.”

“After lots of coffee.” someone chimed in.

We glanced around the fire at each other, light dancing in our eyes.

Right now we have tonight.

With a silent click, darkness descended for an instant.

I strode a little slower without my headlamp.

Faraway, city lights twinkled and reflected off the water. 

Out from shore, a sliver of moon created a path of light.

A few bright stars outshone the moon, peaking from behind the low mountains.

Cocooned in my sleeping bag, I listened;

The night breeze rustled the leaves above me.

A step from my tent, water lapped at the shore line.

Somewhere in camp a guitar played quiet cords,

Out on the water, a loon let loose his lonesome cry,

I slept like I hadn’t slept in a long time.

I didn't see a single cell phone in hours.

I hadn't seen a computer for days.

Isn’t this what its all about?

Old friends, new friends, friends I hadn't seen in years.

We laughed.

We talked.

We tied in together.

We climbed.

We caught each others falls.

We shared smiles after sends.

We cooked.

We hugged.

Most importantly we climbed.

Then we smiled, said it was very good, and made plans for next time.

(And had some serious van envy in the parking lot.)